Ad Met goings on -

The Flinders Link viaduct had only one span to go this afternoon (7th April) and the ramp is very much advanced: the walls look complete and the filling much advanced.
Of course there is a considerable amount of work to be done. No ground work has been done on the new Tonsley station.

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I haven't been driving far recently but I did see that the former (never!) Kaufland site corner Churchill and Regency Roads in Prospect (next to Islington Railway station) has now completely disappeared - there's a lot more 3-story terrace type stuff going in there.

I've also noticed both track-work on the broad gauge and more footings being put in around the railway station - at least the Dry Creek depot will finally be connected to the electric train network -

As if that's not exciting enough for Adelaide there's been some road construction happening at the Regency-to-Pym project too - they're actually building the slip roads now after all this time. Curious to see when the overpass at Regency Rd will actually start.

Still haven't found an excuse to drive the new Northern Connector even though the speed limit has now been raised to 110kph; by all accounts a very nice piece of road that really opens up the northern suburbs road and beyond road access - no traffic lights from Tanunda to Regency Road at the moment but that will get even more impressive in the future.

Not long ago the transport industry were asking Premier Steven Marshall for a new road to run perhaps under or over Cross road from the base of the South Eastern at Glen Osmond to the new South Road project at Edwardstown/Black Forrest. The more I think about this the more I think its a good idea - particularly as a cut-and-cover.

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Cut and cover would be a non-starter for anywhere west of Duthy Street. Surface roads around the Kingswood and Unley Park areas are prone to flooding if there is heavy rain (just normal heavy rain, not extraordinarily heavy rain) as there is nowhere for the water to go.

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Hearing on the grapevine that cashless will be permanent, and that the next step will be introducing contactless (card or smartphone) payment as a replacement for the paper tickets.

I haven't been driving far recently but I did see that the former (never!) Kaufland site corner Churchill and Regency Roads in Prospect (next to Islington Railway station) has now completely disappeared - there's a lot more 3-story terrace type stuff going in there.don_dunstan

The Kaufland site is still undeveloped. The residential development going up there is the site next to the Kaufland site which was already underway.

I've also noticed both track-work on the broad gauge and more footings being put in around the railway stationdon_dunstan

Removal of the Islington Works connection and the crossover next to the Pym St level crossing.

The Islington bit is understandable, but removing the crossover is short-sighted as it will reduce the number of available options for partial services during disruption.

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Cut and cover would be a non-starter for anywhere west of Duthy Street. Surface roads around the Kingswood and Unley Park areas are prone to flooding if there is heavy rain (just normal heavy rain, not extraordinarily heavy rain) as there is nowhere for the water to go.justapassenger

They built ponds next to the Torrens to Torrens to temporarily store the water if that happened - can't see why they couldn't do similar with Cross Road.

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Installation of Flinders Link bridge span 7, the last one of the ten to be installed, is underway. The second of the two girders is currently in the air.

Of the other nine spans, six have both the structural planks and the deck surface installed while the other three only have the structural planks. This means that laying the track is still some way off.

Work is also going ahead on the site where the lift will be installed, on the northern corner of Main South Road and Flinders Drive.

They built ponds next to the Torrens to Torrens to temporarily store the water if that happened - can't see why they couldn't do similar with Cross Road.don_dunstan

That works for T2T because it can be easily pumped into the Torrens, just a stone’s throw away

In the Unley Park area, there’s nowhere for the water to go but the choked up little trench that was once Brownhill Creek.

If the Cross Road alignment is chosen for an expressway it will have to be at surface level (with north-south roads having overpasses and local access reconfigured) or elevated.
But my bet is that Glen Osmond Road and Greenhill Road will be where it goes if it ever happens. Retail tenancies are easier to buy up than houses.

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Just reporting on the odd happening that I've seen recently - very excited to spy concrete masts for catenery, visible around Regency Road. IN the same area the Regency-to-Pym is in full swing with the new road beds coming along and some piling work for a new pedestrian bridge near Pym street.

I must say I think they'll regret not having an underpass for Pym Street -

Unlike the Seaford line and the early works in 2012 between Nurlutta and Evanston with widespread use of concrete masts, all the new overhead structure is galvanised steel. When I saw the reference to concrete masts near Regency Road, I wondered whether Don was referring to the stobie poles with the 66kV transmission lines which have been gradually relocated in the last few years because of T2T and more recently Regency to Pym.

Unlike the Seaford line and the early works in 2012 between Nurlutta and Evanston with widespread use of concrete masts, all the new overhead structure is galvanised steel. When I saw the reference to concrete masts near Regency Road, I wondered whether Don was referring to the stobie poles with the 66kV transmission lines which have been gradually relocated in the last few years because of T2T and more recently Regency to Pym.62430

I've glimpsed the poles going into position from the Regency Road overpass and you can also see them from Bunnings - wasn't aware that they'd changed to galvanised steel.

Are they going to rip down the concrete ones around Nurlutta, seems like something they'd do if they had to start all over again...

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I've glimpsed the poles going into position from the Regency Road overpass and you can also see them from Bunnings - wasn't aware that they'd changed to galvanised steel.

Are they going to rip down the concrete ones around Nurlutta, seems like something they'd do if they had to start all over again...don_dunstan

Last Saturday masts were being erected between Dudley Park and Islington. Fitments were being attached to masts and gantries between Dudley Park and Ovingham. This afternoon I saw masts extending N towards former Islington Works Stn. There seem so far to be a higher proportion of cantilever masts and gantries spanning both tracks rather than masts supporting the overhead above a single track. It may be that the use of steel masts with separate concrete bases may be better suited to installation during the partial line closure, rather than the concrete masts which were set in a pit which was then filled with concrete.

If I recall correctly about two years ago all the concrete masts out north were fitted with survey plates similar to those on the Seaford line. This was one of the earliest indications that electrification was imminent and strongly suggests the concrete masts will be retained.

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I suspect the steel masts are there to cantilever over the two TA tracks wherever possible, the SG lines are owned by others. You can't cantilever over two tracks from the concrete masts that they have a stock of. It will be interesting to see if they go back to simple cantilevers beyond Salisbury from concrete masts. There are dozens of masts in place, it would be ugly to mix and match and wasteful to cut down the masts already there. It will also be interesting to see if they reinstall the Elizabeth turnback which would probably need steel portals. Must dig out my face mask and go for a ride.

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I suspect the steel masts are there to cantilever over the two TA tracks wherever possible, the SG lines are owned by others. You can't cantilever over two tracks from the concrete masts that they have a stock of. It will be interesting to see if they go back to simple cantilevers beyond Salisbury from concrete masts. There are dozens of masts in place, it would be ugly to mix and match and wasteful to cut down the masts already there. It will also be interesting to see if they reinstall the Elizabeth turnback which would probably need steel portals. Must dig out my face mask and go for a ride.62440

The Seaford line has a mixture of concrete and steel masts. On the Gawler line there are gaps between concrete masts where foundations for steel masts have been constructed. These are generally at the locations where the overhead sections (about 1.3km in length) will be tensioned and thus there are significant longnitudinal forces on the masts. I recall such locations at N of Broadmeadows, S of Tambelin and between Tambelin and the Gawler Bypass.

Posted: 23 May 2020 00:08

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If I recall correctly about two years ago all the concrete masts out north were fitted with survey plates similar to those on the Seaford line. This was one of the earliest indications that electrification was imminent and strongly suggests the concrete masts will be retained.62430

What is the purpose of survey plates?

Posted: 23 May 2020 03:16

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If I recall correctly about two years ago all the concrete masts out north were fitted with survey plates similar to those on the Seaford line. This was one of the earliest indications that electrification was imminent and strongly suggests the concrete masts will be retained.

What is the purpose of survey plates?Gayspie

Here is a photo taken last year of a survey plate attached to the face of Smithfield down platform. The plate is a track control mark that records the location of the mark and its position relative to the track. At stations they are attached to the platform face but elsewhere are attached to the overhead masts. I assume they are used for track maintenance and ensuring the overhead is positioned correctly in relation to the track.

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The Seaford line has a mixture of concrete and steel masts. On the Gawler line there are gaps between concrete masts where foundations for steel masts have been constructed. These are generally at the locations where the overhead sections (about 1.3km in length) will be tensioned and thus there are significant longnitudinal forces on the masts. I recall such locations at N of Broadmeadows, S of Tambelin and between Tambelin and the Gawler Bypass.62430

Unless they really have been ripping up masts from the early works program (there was a rumour around this a couple of years ago, never confirmed but never denied either) then there will be a fair few cable runs that are anchored or tensioned on concrete masts. Just look for the concrete masts in pairs.

The gaps between Tambelin and the Gawler Bypass bridge are too close to the last one south of Tambelin to be the end of the cable run, which should come just south of Evanston station. I'd guess that they are just what wasn't done by the time the early works program was abruptly terminated and the remaining stock of masts dumped in a vacant block on Churchill Road.

I suspect the steel masts are there to cantilever over the two TA tracks wherever possible, the SG lines are owned by others. You can't cantilever over two tracks from the concrete masts that they have a stock of. It will be interesting to see if they go back to simple cantilevers beyond Salisbury from concrete masts. 62440

Some parts of the route may also be suitable for putting the concrete masts between the two tracks, as was done on parts of the Seaford line.

Opinions on aesthetics are subjective, of course, but I find this is the visually 'lightest' configuration as you get one line of the concrete masts instead of two and the concrete masts fade into the background a bit more easily than the Meccano-like steel cantilevers and portals.

There are dozens of masts in place, it would be ugly to mix and match …62440

A look at the latest Adelaide Metro livery on the Scania Euro VI buses introduced this year should give you some idea of the value that DPTI places on aesthetics.

Contact Gayspie

The Seaford line has a mixture of concrete and steel masts. On the Gawler line there are gaps between concrete masts where foundations for steel masts have been constructed. These are generally at the locations where the overhead sections (about 1.3km in length) will be tensioned and thus there are significant longnitudinal forces on the masts. I recall such locations at N of Broadmeadows, S of Tambelin and between Tambelin and the Gawler Bypass.62430

Cantilevers are pin jointed hinges, there is no longitudinal force on the masts. At the midpoint of each wire run, the wires are held in place by separate cables. Apart from aesthetics, there is no reason why you can't mix and match concrete and steel. As was pointed out, it happens on the Seaford line.

Posted: 31 May 2020 10:45

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The Seaford line has a mixture of concrete and steel masts. On the Gawler line there are gaps between concrete masts where foundations for steel masts have been constructed. These are generally at the locations where the overhead sections (about 1.3km in length) will be tensioned and thus there are significant longnitudinal forces on the masts. I recall such locations at N of Broadmeadows, S of Tambelin and between Tambelin and the Gawler Bypass.

Cantilevers are pin jointed hinges, there is no longitudinal force on the masts. At the midpoint of each wire run, the wires are held in place by separate cables. Apart from aesthetics, there is no reason why you can't mix and match concrete and steel. As was pointed out, it happens on the Seaford line.62440

Work is going ahead at a quick pace - Gawler line shut again this weekend and the placement of masts appears to have finished around Regency Road.